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Original poster

Paying to attend child's party?

550 replies

arachnidpearl · 01/02/2022 11:15

Would welcome views on this.

My DS has been invited to a child's party on Sunday. It's at an activity place with a climbing wall then food afterwards. Accepted invitation weeks ago, have bought card and gift etc.

We've been sent a message yesterday from birthday child's parent last night which says that all children under 8 must be supervised by an adult each, which is ok with me I don't mind staying (would rather not, but it's not the end of the world) but that in order to stay and supervise we have to buy a full price adults ticket, which costs £25!

Is this usual? It seems a bit of a cheek to me!

OP posts:
saygeronimo · 01/02/2022 14:52

Who on their right minds would book a venue that would cost £25 per adult per child? Madness! I'm glad you've got an excuse, OP. I feel really sorry for the birthday child but there is no way I'd pay that much to make up for the parents f* up!

PineappleWilson · 01/02/2022 14:53

If two parents are taking birthday DC to the climbing wall, they'll have a parent free to supervise your DC won't they. The climbing wall has confirmed that you can't supervise so they'll have to if they want your DC to attend. I suspect it may be just the two of them anyway.

As cheeky as it is of the parents to pass the £25 charge on, no way I'd pay £100+ for random adults to attend my kid's party and so I wouldn't have booked this place. Wonder if they'll get parents rocking up with extra siblings over the age of 8 hoping to add them to the party Hmm

Walkingalot · 01/02/2022 14:55

It's ridiculous. So, if one of the kids needed help, you'd have to quickly change into climbing gear and go and rescue them yourselves? They shouldn't be accepting party bookings for under 8's if they need 1 to 1 supervision and charge you for doing their job!
Agree with pp that parents have messed up here but probably left it too late to book elsewhere.

whitebarn · 01/02/2022 14:55

@ThisIsStartingToBoreMe

It's not £25 per adult to stay and supervise kids under 8 on a climbing wall. You've made a mistake. Or the host has.
But, all children under 8 must be supervised 1-1 and to enter the climbing area all adults must have a ticket (which is £25!)

Possibly crosspost

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 01/02/2022 14:55

@saygeronimo

Who on their right minds would book a venue that would cost £25 per adult per child? Madness! I'm glad you've got an excuse, OP. I feel really sorry for the birthday child but there is no way I'd pay that much to make up for the parents f* up!
Agreed- I feel slightly bad for the hosting parents, that is utter shit to ask people. Never would have booked it
Floralnomad · 01/02/2022 14:57

So really this place is only suitable for a party for children aged 9 and over if the 1:1 supervision is for under 8s . Just don’t go , it’s an utterly ridiculous cost to just supervise and if they get nobody at their kids party it’s their own fault for not looking into the Ts &Cs .

Hugasauras · 01/02/2022 14:58

If you can't afford to host a party properly then invite fewer people, really. They could have invited four kids and paid for everyone, which would have been far better behaviour. Also I am pregnant and it wouldn't have occurred to me that I'd have to maybe be climbing or in a position where I would have to get involved too! So that would have been a nice surprise to turn up to Confused

Hugasauras · 01/02/2022 15:02

I feel horribly sorry for their child too. DD has her first birthday party at the weekend and I am panicking no one will turn up or something (and it's entirely paid for by us!). I wouldn't be dropping a bombshell like that on parents days before as that's a surefire way to get people to pull out Sad

leafcuttingwhale · 01/02/2022 15:02

I'm sure there has been an error in communication and parents did not realise. I would pay and go, as I could not bear to think of that poor little kid with no-one at her party - you know how excited little kids get about their parties. I would be peeved about it though.

Orchidflower1 · 01/02/2022 15:07

I think I’d just decline @arachnidpearl with the reason being you’re pregnant and so can’t supervise.

Now that’s interesting about the option for party host to pay. I assume they were told this at the point of booking. Confused Hmm

Clymene · 01/02/2022 15:08

The parents should have cancelled. It sounds really inappropriate for such young children.

Gilly12345 · 01/02/2022 15:11

Phone the venue and check, never heard of this before.

Update us

usernotfound0000 · 01/02/2022 15:11

DD is having a climbing party for her 7th birthday. There is no requirement for parents to supervise so unless they were very small (under 5 maybe) this seems ridiculous. I wouldn't have booked that if other parents needed to pay that amount.

saygeronimo · 01/02/2022 15:11

@Gilly12345

Phone the venue and check, never heard of this before.

Update us

She's done that already
Figgygal · 01/02/2022 15:14

So the party children parents have to pay because bday child parents have picked an age inappropriate activity
Err no id be saying we couldnt attend on that basis
Poor kid

GruffaloSolja · 01/02/2022 15:16

This has got to be a joke. Who would pay £25 to watch their kid climb a wall? I'd be interested to know the actual admission price per child.

Threeboysandadog · 01/02/2022 15:16

@Gilly12345

Phone the venue and check, never heard of this before.

Update us

She has!

Just let the mum know that you have phoned to check and you are not allowed in the climbing area at all. If they want your son at the party then they can supervise him (without payment) or you can drop out. You can give your son the birthday gift to cheer him up!

LetsGoParty · 01/02/2022 15:20

That's crazy. I would cancel as I would be too annoyed to pay.
Maybe you could suggest the friend comes over for a play date and your son could give his gift then.
It's unfortunate if the host loose money bacause you cancel but it's their own fault.

phishy · 01/02/2022 15:21

Have you declined, OP? What was the reaction from parent?

Itsalmostanaccessory · 01/02/2022 15:25

The parents have picked a really stupid party. My kid wanted to do something for his 8th birthday but it was only for 8 year olds and over. Half his friends were still 7, so we didnt choose that activity.

Have you spoken to the other parents? Are they going to pay the £25 and go? It is so cheeky of them to wait until the last minute to tell you all this. I hope everyone says no! They can do something else.

ElftonWednesday · 01/02/2022 15:32

Once we needed an extra parent when DD was doing Go Ape as there was no way you'd get me up there, and one of the dads did it happily, but we paid for him and his food and my DH bought him a few beers after as well!

billy1966 · 01/02/2022 15:36

Easy out then for you.

I have never heard of such a thing.

Oh for the days of simple £5 parties!

Prinnny · 01/02/2022 15:44

That sounds so strange, not like a party package at all!

I would text the mum saying something like ‘sorry I didn’t realise DD would need my supervision, I was planning to stay and watch but with being 7 months pregnant I can’t be actively involved so unfortunately X will be unable to attend’

Worried1305 · 01/02/2022 15:46

Imagine if you'd turned up, OP, with child in tow ready to attend the party, only to be told by the venue "you can't come in, all children have to be supervised but you're pregnant and aren't allowed to do this". You'd have had a VERY upset child on your hands - I'd have been fuming. And you could so easily have done this, given that you'd not have known anything about this requirement if you hadn't rung the venue yourself!

It really seems to be a shocking lack of preparation on behalf of the parents. I'd personally be messaging them to let them know exactly what I think of them for such a terrible party plan, deliberate or not!

Eightiesfan · 01/02/2022 15:46

@arachnidpearl

Ok so I've rung the venue.

I am not allowed to be a supervising adult on account of being pregnant, I am not allowed in the vicinity of the climbing wall at all, just the cafe etc. But, all children under 8 must be supervised 1-1 and to enter the climbing area all adults must have a ticket (which is £25!)

So I cannot take DS anyway, the only option I've got is if I can get a grandparent or my sister to take him. But I will have to pay £25 for them to do so!

I queried the cost for adults on account of it being a party and they said they offer the option where the party bookers can pay for the supervising adults... or not. So I assume these parents have decided not!!

This is outrageous! My children have been to climbing venues but we were not charged for supervising. I understand that the birthday child might want a climbing party, but if it was me I would have taken him with maybe one friend as a day out and had a different venue for the party. I suspect that poor child will not have many attendees on the day, I certainly would not be forking out £25.00.
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